Football game



Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED. STATES PA QNT OFFICE miiiiii im Application September 13, 1939, Serial No. 294,614

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a footballgame apparatus.

More specifically the invention proposes the construction of a football game apparatus characterized by a board, complete in itself for permitting a modified game of football to be played, and which may be folded up in a manner to be conveniently carried about in ones pocket.

Still further it is proposed to characterizethe board by an elongated slot with a football field representation along the sides of the slot, and in back of which a slide member is movably mounted and having a football element thereon, and adapted to be shifted to'various positions along the length of the slot in a manner to indicate the progress of the game.

Still further it is proposed to provide the board with a chance control means for directing movement of the football element up and down the field-representation in accordance with standard football plays. i

Still further it is proposed to provide a marker adapted to be shifted along the'length of the field representation and which is drawn to the same scale as the field representation in a manner to permit the downs to be calculated for determiningwhether or not the person playing the game has made a first down or not.

Still further it is proposed to provide a means for holding the marker in various adjusted positions along the length of the field representation in a manner to permit'the same to-be shifted to an alignedposition'with the football element of the slide member.-

A further. object of the invention is the provision of a list of the-current football games in any particular season upon the back of the slide memher in a manner to be viewed through an elongated slot formed in the back of the member which movably supports the slide member.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and adavantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the football game apparatus in its folded condition.

Fig. 2' is a plan view of the football game apparatus in an unfolded condition without the down mark in position thereon. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig..2.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the panel of the appa ratus enclosing the slide.

Fig. '7 is a rear elevational view of the slide,

per se.

used for determining the downs.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 illustrating the down mark in position on the field representation.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line ilk-ill of I Fig. 9.

Fig.11 is a perspective rear View of the marker per se. V

The football game apparatus according to this invention includes a board l0 formed of card board or other similar material and divided-into a plurality of panels Ill 10 and a tubular panel lfi foldably connected together in a manner to be folded to assume the position shownin Fig. 1

in which it is possible to conveniently carry the apparatus in ones pocket. The tubularpanel Ill has a portion lfl 'of the board "I0 folded upon itself formingthejtubular portion. The portion la is formed with an elongated slot I i having a foot? ball field representation 12 along the sides thereof. This football field representation comprises a rectangular area having a plurality of lines extended'thereacross and the marginof the football field representation is imprinted with a plurality of numbers successively readable in opposite direction and increased by fives.

A football element 15 is imprinted upon the centerof the football field representation Id of the slide Band-has an arrow 15* which is adapted to be aligned with the yard lines of the football representation 12 in a manner to indicate .the

v positionsof the football on the field-representation'during the process of playing the game. The

ends of the tubular member are cut away as shown at IS .on both sides of the slide I3 in a m'anner'to permit the ends of-the slide to be,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 8 is a front perspective view of the marker This is to indicate thateach of the lines is five yards apart and that the field is onehundred yards long in- A slide grasped for moving the same along the length of the slot H.

The board In is further provided with a chance controlled means for directing motion of the football element I5 up and down the football field representation l2 in accordance with standard football plays. This means is mounted on the panel I of the board I0 and comprises a rotatively mounted spinner IT. This spinner is coaxially rotatively supported over a dial l3 imprinted upon the face of the panel 18*. This dial I8 is subdivided into a plurality of smaller areas [8 each of which carries a number. For the purpose of illustration the dial has been subdivided into twelve areas and these areas have been successively numbered from one to twelve. The spinner l! is rotatively supported by a means of an eyelet I9 which is rotatively passed throughthe spinner and through the panel NW of the board l0 and coaxial with the dial Hi.

This chance'control means further includes a rectangular area 28 imprinted upon the right hand side of the panel Hl This area 29 is subdivided into a plurality of boxes. The vertically arranged boxes 29 along the left hand side of the area 20 are successively numbered from one to twelve to correspond with the numbers of the dial [8. The horizontal top row of boxes 28 are imprinted with a plurality of possible plays for the average football game. The remaining boxes 20 are imprinted with the results of a'particular play. The top row 2!? might be imprinted successively with the following legions: kick-off; return, left or right end run, left or right tackle, left or right guard, off center, punt, return punt. forward pass, trick play, drop kick, and placement.

In playing the game it is necessary that the player spinning the spinner ll determine the type of play he wishes to try before he'spins the spinner and when the spinner stops he'notic'es the number and carries the number across'in-the area 20, to the vertical row'of the play he'tried to determine-the result thereof and correspondingly moves the slide to indicate the results; The panel lo above the dial I8 is imprinted with an area 2| which gives the scores resulting from the touchdown; the point after touchdown, place kick, drop kick, and a safety. These-scoring valves are the same as in a conventional footballgame.

'I'he panel lll below thedial I8 has anarea 22 imprinted with the rules of the game. These rules are as follows: 1. A player may not attempt a dropkick or placement unless he is within the twenty yard line. 2. When a ball is pushed in back of the goal by losses on downs it is called a safety which counts two points for the opposing side. 3. After each kick or punt ball is lost to opposing team. 4. A five yardpenalty is given for failing to call play before spinning. The panel 19 further has an area 23'belowthe area which is imprinted with a plurality of squares numbered from one to four permitting the score of each quarter of the game to be" marked therein; I

The back facesof the'slide" l3 imprinted with a football sch'edule'of important football games in" anyone particular season which is adapted to be viewedthrough an elongated slot 24" formed along thewidth ofthe panel i on the back thereof. Above this slot' the panel is imprinted with thewords; date, college. opponent, place, and the last years record. When the particular line of the schedule is brought into alignment with the slot 24 it will be possible to determine the date of the particular game, the college, the opponent, and the location of the field upon which the game is to be played as well as the results of the previous years game if the two colleges played in that year. The rear view of the slide is shown in Fig. 7. The panel ID is imprinted with instructions on how to play the football game with this apparatus and which read as follows: The game is played by two people. More than one can play on each side, and each player takes turns spinning until the ball is lost. Each side chooses a goal. The opening kickoff is decided by choice. Length of the game is thirty minutes-fifteen minutes for each half or as long as desired.

The team kicking off, spins. The spinner number determines the yardage of the kick. Refer to column kick-01f to see number of yards. Suppose you spin No. 6. You will find that you gained 55 yards. Place the slide so that the ball is on the 40 yard line (as game starts at this point), and advance 55 yards which brings it to the 95yar'd line. After the kickoff the other side spins; The spinner determines the yardage of the return kickoff. See columns return. Suppose the number is Then the" team returns the ball yards, that is from its own five yard line to its own yard line. After the return has been made the same team calls its'play: end, tackle; forward, pass, etc.. and spins. Suppose he'calls off center and the spinner stops at 8. He refers to column marked Off center and finds that spinner'number 81s a five-yard advance. He

then advances the ball on the slide from the 15 yard line to the yard line". It is new: secand down (or play) and five yards to go. He calls another play, s'a'y trick play and then spins. If it stops at 3 he will find in column marked Trick play yard line. (The team has made ten yards and therefore has made first down.)- Either team gaining 10 yardsor more within 4 plays is entitled to first down and retains the ball for another 4 plays and as often as he makes his '10 yards within 4 plays. When a team does not gain the necessary 10 yards in 4 plays, the opposing team gets the ball and proceeds in the same manner in the other direction at the point where the play ended. The ball is always kicked off at the beginning of first half, the-second half and after each touchdown.

'Tn'eapparatus further includes a marker 25 shown in Fig. 8 for measuring the downs and it is drawn to the same scale as afootball representation fordetermining whether or not the side has made a first down within a prescribed number of chances in a'manner similar to astandard football game. This marker is drawn to the same scale'es the football field representation l2 and to follow the progress of the ball during four downs, the arrow marked first down, second down, third down, fourth down are successively moved to the position of the ball at the start of the first down. If the ball passes beyond the point of any arrow the required 10 yards has been gained and the opposing side has succeeded in making the necessary yardagefor registering the first down and the marker is again aligned with the football element l5 imprinted upon the slide I3. I g

A means is provided for holding the down mark 25 in position'along th length of tn-95105;

formed in the portion I 0 This means comprises a pair of spring clips 26 mounted on each end of the down mark 25. These clips ztare adapted to engage over the bottom edge of the slot H as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. When the mark is extended in the direction indicated by the dot and dash line 25 the spring clips 26 at one end of the marker are adapted to engage over the slot H while the spring clips 26 at the other end of the marker remain inoperative. In the same manner, when the marker is extended in the direction of the dot and dash lines 25 the spring clips 26 at the other end of the marker are adapted to engage over the slot ll while the spring clips at the aforementioned end of the marker remain inoperative.

The rear face of the panel IEI may be imprinted with a suitable title for the game as shown in Fig. 1 and blank spaces thereof may be suitably imprinted with advertising material. In the same manner the rear faces of the panel I0 and the rear faces of the panel H] below the slot 24 may be imprinted with desired advertising material.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows:

The players desiring to play the game split up into two teams and decide which side is to kick OE and which receive. Thereupon the player who decides to kick off, spins the spinner I! and notices the number. He then looks into the area 20 along the vertical area 20 to get the corresponding number and then carries the number across to the kick-off column to determine how far the kick went and moves the ball. The ball is then in the hands of the opposing team and the players from the opposing team determine the type of play he wishes to try and then spins the spinner II. He carries the number at which the spinner stops across the area 20 to the column of the play he wished to try and determines the results thereof. He then moves the slide to cause the football element to be properly aligned with the yard line'of the field representation l2 to indicate the results of the play.

In the same manner each player of the team spins the spinner I'l an attempt to make the necessary 10 yards, within four downs for receiving another first down. If they fail to make the necessary yardage the ball then goes to the opposing team and they then attempt to move the ball into the opposite direction towards the goal and so the game continues, until one side makes 'a goal or the end of the period is reached after which the ball is again kicked-off in a manner similar to the conventional football game.

It is to be understood that the game may be arranged for use as baseball, basketball and like games, also for recording the progress and score of games broadcast over the radio.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a football game apparatus, 'a fiat tubular board having an elongated slot formed in one side thereof, a football field representation imprinted along the sides of said slot, a slide slidably engaged into said tubular member, a football element imprinted on said slide in an aligned position with said slot so as to be movable to various positions relative to said football field representation to indicate the position of a football on a field, and 'a marker drawn to the same scale as said football field representation and shiftable along the length of said slot in a specific relationship to the movement of said football element to record the down and the number of yards that must be gained to get another first down, and means for holding said marker in adjusted fixed positions along the length of said slot, comprising spring clips mounted upon the back face of said marker and engageable over the edge of said slot and slidable therealong.

FRANK A. CASO. 

